Community center plans back on
March 24, 2009
By Michael Rowe
Snoqualmie may break ground on a community center in 2010, after all.
Mayor Matt Larson and the Snoqualmie City Council mulled over options for the center at the council retreat, March 2-3. Larson said that the consensus of the council was that the city should not attempt another bond issue to get the project started, and instead are looking at building the center in three phases.
The plan is to design the facility in a way that will allow future expansions. The first part of the facility would be a hub onto which future additions could be built. The first phase would likely include space for community meeting rooms.
Larson said a phased approach would enable the city to get something built to show the public the value and benefits of the community center. Separate annexes including the indoor swimming pool and gymnasium would come later, perhaps using bond money if the city can convince voters to support the expansions.
The overall cost of the project is estimated to be about $14 million. The city has about $4 million in an account set aside for the community center. The money came from a portion of the city’s real estate excise taxes and mitigation funds paid by the developers of Snoqualmie Ridge and other projects.
Larson said that, rather than using bond funding to get the project started, the city is considering spending the $4 million from the community center account to start the facility. Design work could begin this year. A 2008 bond issue for $10 million failed to get the necessary 60 percent of voters to be approved late last year, although a majority of voters, 54.5 percent, voted for the community center. Similar bond issues in 2002 and 2006 also failed to be approved by voters.
One drawback of a phased approach is that it is usually less expensive to build the whole project at once than it is to build a project in phases. Building expenses increase because contractors will have to set up multiple times on the site to work on the project and because, over time, building costs increase with inflation.
“Ultimately, it could be more expensive. But if the community wants to take it in pieces, you have to respect that,” Larson said.
The city was looking at several partners to help operate the center including the Snoqualmie Ridge Athletic Center, Encompass, and the YMCA. At the retreat, city leaders decided to pursue a partnership with the YMCA on the community center. Larson said that the YMCA could help the city in locating grant funding for the project.
The planned community center would be located in the Snoqualmie Ridge development near Cascade View Elementary School.
Reach reporter Michael Bayless Rowe at mrowe@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434, ext. 248.
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Larson has no right to start a project that the people of Snoqualmie voted against. The money should be set aside until the economy is on the right track- stop this man he does not understand the valleys needs at this crucial time. Someone on the city council needs to stand up to this person- we do not need a bunch of yes people on the council with a mayor who is spend crazy and is determined to build the rec center regardless of what the voters wanted.
Voters voted against?? Less than half of the voters did so – 54% said yes – that’s a democratic approval – “this man” might understand that we need to create a stronger appeal for families to move into rural areas. Go Larson!
We have been considering moving our young family from Seattle to Snoqualmie Ridge for the past 2 years but have put our search on hold until we know what will happen with the development of the community center & pool.
We currently live in Seattle and regularly use our community center for swim lessons in the indoor pool, and the indoor play area for toddler. I honestly can’t imagine what I would do with the kids on a rainy day without a community center.
A Snoqualmie community center with pool would be a HUGE selling point for us.